Author
Topic: Tom Ford (Read 618 times)

'A Single Man' Director Tom Ford's Next Film Will Be A Two-Part Thrillervia The Playlist

It's been a while since we've heard from fashion mogul turned filmmaker Tom Ford. His feature debut "A Single Man" was an excellent piece of work, but a half dozen years have passed without a followup. Back in 2010, he said his next movie would be a comedy. A year later he said it was "ready to go" but clearly not much happened. It appears that whatever that movie was, he's moved to something different. Ford has now revealed his next film project, and while details are scarce, we're intrigued.

Speaking with Women's Wear Daily, Ford reveals he's adapting a not very well known book which he "refuses to name," but that it's a thriller. It seems like he's playing the idea of adaptation in general, promising a movie in two parts — one that deviates from the source material, and another that remains faithful to it.

“A book is a book; a film is a film… They are totally different things," he said. "Sometimes things are subtle in a book because there’s an inner monologue with the character, and turning it into a film, you don’t have that inner monologue—unless you do, which I don’t love.…You have to have something personal; you have to take what speaks to you about a book and amplify that. It’s impressionism, in a way.”

The plan right now is to shoot sometime this fall, between September and December, when there is a break in a fashion calendar. “I only need six weeks,” he said, though he's willing to push things back to next year if it doesn't come together in time to lens in 2015.

Titled “Nocturnal Animals” and produced by George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures with partner Grant Heslov, the drama is an adaptation of an Austin Wright book titled “Tony and Susan” and centers on a woman named Susan who receives a book manuscript from her ex-husband, a man whom she left 20 years earlier, asking for her opinion. The book then tracks two stories within the same novel and Ford previously said he would try and make two movies from each.

While a two-parter remains to be seen, what is clear is the talent likely involved. THR says Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal are eyeing the two lead parts while there also might be roles for Joaquin Phoenix and “Godzilla” star Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

EXCLUSIVE Updated Sunday 11:31 AM: Focus Features has secured worldwide rights for Nocturnal Animals, Tom Ford’s film followup to his debut A Single Man. The company confirmed Deadline’s scoop this morning. The deal was driven by Focus Features, with Universal backing up Peter Schlessel’s label and handling the film overseas. The total deal is worth $20 million, I hear, with an 8-figure P&A commitment. That makes this by far the big deal of the festival, and one of the biggest in recent years. CAA and FilmNation’s Glen Basner handled negotiations for Ford.

Ford wrote the script, an adaptation of the 1993 Austin Wright book Tony And Susan. The film will star Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal and Ford is producing. The logline: out of the blue, Susan Morrow receives a package containing the manuscript of her ex-husband’s first novel. As she reads, she is drawn into the fictional life of Tony Hastings. As his ordinary life is violently set off course, Susan is forced to confront her own past. The title comes from one of the stories in the book.

Buyers were moved by Ford’s presentation at the Carlton Hotel days ago, and they have been making offers. Ford was initially reticent, because he wants creative control throughout production and to have a strong say in how the movie is released and marketed. He had the wherewithal to self-finance the film, but seemed to have a change of heart as the offers kept pouring in. Remarkably and maybe mercifully, this one didn’t require an all night bargaining session. It has been percolating since yesterday, when Ford became open to a worldwide deal.

Having all rights handled by one place simplifies things, and Schlessel’s team certainly distinguished itself in its handling of The Theory Of Everything, the Best Picture nominee which won Eddie Redmayne the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking, and a nomination for Felicity Jones for her portrayal of Jane Hawking. The film garnered a total of five Oscar nominations and grossed $120 million worldwide.

“Tom’s vision for his film is unique and inspiring and something that global audiences will be thrilled by,” Schlessel said in confirming the deal. “Tom has proven his prowess as a filmmaker and this romantic tale of revenge and regret will be a fantastic addition to our slate”

Focus president of acquisitions Lia Buman and EVP business affairs Beth Lemberger negotiated on behalf of the studio. Peter Kujawski, managing director of Universal Pictures International Productions, was also instrumental in the agreement.